Engagement

When you become engaged, you have so much to plan for! It’s a healthy mix of love, excitement, and anticipation for what has yet to come. And now that you have purchased the engagement ring, do you have plans to insure it?

Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group has created an informative (and fun) flowchart to help you decide whether to insure or not to insure. Click here to learn more!

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We often share beautiful images of American Gem Society members’ jewelry. Today, we wanted to take that a step further and give you a sneak peek into their passion for jewelry, the symbolism it represents, and the way it makes them feel. In some cases, we just wanted to give you a glimpse of their humor, with jewelry as their much-adored punchline.

To achieve all that, we asked these five members to give us a quote about jewelry, along with an image of one of their favorite pieces. Enjoy!

Opal brooch from Paula Crevoshay.

Pink tourmaline pendant from Sharon Wei Designs.

Moonstone, sapphire, and diamond ring from Omi Privé.

Custom-designed ring from Michaels Jewelers.

Diamond engagement ring by Tacori.

To find some jewelry inspiration of your own, visit your local American Gem Society (AGS) jeweler. Ask your AGS jeweler if they have a personal saying or a favorite quote about jewelry! You can ask them to show you one of the above pieces or something that inspires you and your imagination. Visit ags.org/findajeweler.

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The American Gem Society (AGS) Suppliers’ Reception and Showcase occurs annually during the American Gem Society’s Conclave, the industry’s premier educational and networking event.

This year’s Conclave was held in Nashville, TN, and the AGS Suppliers’ Reception and Showcase featured 16 AGS members. Below are photos from the highly successful evening, featuring the incredible jewelry and the lovely ladies who modeled them.

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You’ve heard about lucky brides getting a 5-carat diamond ring. Just how large is that though? What do five carats look like?

Download the Diamond Carat Size Chart by Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group. It will give you a visual comparison of ideal cut diamonds in the ten most popular shapes. It also lists the actual diameters of each diamond. Click here to download your own copy!

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True or False: Valentine’s Day is the most popular day of the year to pop the question.

The answer is “False.” Christmas Day is the most popular day for proposals, followed by Valentine’s Day. An estimated 40% of engagements occur between November and February,* which means at any given point during the year, Cupid is striking his bow and couples are getting engaged.

If you’re looking for some ring inspiration, here are the top five engagement ring trends for 2018, with a few examples from some American Gem Society (AGS) members:

The Classic Solitaire

The classics never go out of style, which is why they are called classics! The sparkling diamond solitaire has experienced a variety of style changes throughout the centuries, but the single diamond in a six-prong setting remains a beloved symbol of engagement.

Jade Trau Six Prong Solitaire.

Classic Six Prong from Designs by Vatché.

Oval Cut Diamonds

An oval cut can give a vintage look to any style and has been gaining popularity because of its elegant, elongated shape.

Oval diamond engagement ring with oval halo by Memoire.

Oval cut diamond with two tapered baguettes by Harry Kotlar.

Cushion-Cut Diamonds Set in a Halo

The cushion cut is a square or rectangular shape with curved corners. Adding a diamond halo gives the illusion of a much larger diamond!

Cushion Crisscut® diamond engagement ring by Christopher Designs.

Cushion cut diamond with triple shank by Joshua J. Fine Jewelry.

Rose Gold Rings

The soft, warm glow of rose gold could give any diamond engagement ring that extra touch of romance.

Rose gold engagement ring designed by Supreme Jewelry

Micopavé diamond band engagement ring set in rose gold, by Ritani.

Three-Stone Ring

Leave it to the British monarchy to lead the way in trend-setting engagement rings. The heavily publicized engagement of American actress Meghan Markle to Prince Harry has had the world admiring her three-stone diamond engagement ring.

When you purchase diamond jewelry, always ask for an AGS Laboratories Diamond Grading Report. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that your diamond was graded by a nonprofit diamond grading laboratory with a mission of consumer protection. Accept no substitutions and buy your diamond with confidence!

Pretty in pink at Jeffrey Daniels and Gem Platinum means pink sapphires and pink diamonds, with a nod to pink tourmaline. Choose your shade and dive into the fabulous world of pink gemstones. You will never look back.

Pink Sapphires

Pink sapphires are the hot sibling of the gracious deep blue most people associate with sapphires. Electric and alive, pink sapphires are the perfect stone for cocktail rings and a night out on the town.

Hot pink isn’t just for her, the cabochon pink tourmaline ring shown below brings a bit of fun for him too.

Like the pink sapphire, pink tourmaline is not the color commonly associated with this stone. Pink tourmaline is possibly created through the introduction of radiation to the stone during formation. Magnesium also produces pink and red hues in gemstones. Tourmaline comes in a variety of colors and hues outside the olive green it is commonly associated with.

Cabochon pink tourmaline bezel set in rose gold.

The hot pink stone used in the Jeffrey Daniels design above is one of the best examples of pink tourmaline in both color and clarity. Interestingly, some of the best pink tourmaline comes from the Cryo-Genie Mine in San Diego, CA.

Pink Diamonds: Maybe the Prettiest Stones on the Planet

This pink diamond wedding ring from Gem Platinum is a fabulous way to say “I do!” The rose gold setting adds to the elegance and grace of the stones in this eternally classic band.

Pave fancy pink diamond eternity band in 18kt rose gold.

Pink Diamonds are part of the Fancy Diamond category and they are some of the rarest gemstones available. Fancy pink diamonds are graded according to the depth of their pink color: the deeper the color, the more expensive the stone.

Unlike hot pink sapphires, the pink in diamonds is an elegant pastel shade of pink. Radiation introduced during formation is thought to be the driving force behind the pink color in these diamonds. Known also for their clarity and brilliance, pink diamonds larger than 1 carat are very, very rare.

Since its establishment, AGS member, Gem Platinum, has provided only the finest quality, service and value in its jewelry collection. They continue to be in the forefront of fine traditional jewelry design and craftsmanship incorporating only the finest natural diamonds and gemstones.

Truly unique gemstones require a truly unique setting for their beauty to be revealed. Jeffrey Daniels Unique Designs has created an extraordinary synergy of these concepts by combining his passion for the unusual with an uncompromising eye for detail and design. This collection of one-of-a-kind jewels are the result as no two pieces will ever be alike.

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Today, we are lucky to have the ability to insure both our meaningful and much-needed valuables. Who would have thought that one day, we would insure our phones!

This same rule-of-thumb (or rule-of-ring-finger, in this case) should be applied to an engagement ring. From the day it’s purchased, to that special moment it’s placed on your beloved’s finger, anything could happen.

We’ve all seen those nightmarish videos of an engagement ring dropping into the ocean, falling off a bridge, or being left behind in lost luggage. But who is supposed to handle the insurance, the bride or groom?